KILFYAN, a parish, in the barony of TYRAWLEY,
county of MAYO, and province of CONNAUGHT, 6¼ miles
(W.) from Killala, on the road from Crossmolina to
Ballycastle; containing 5656 inhabitants. This parish,
which takes its name from an abbey founded here by
St. Finan, and, according to Colyan, existed but for a
short time, comprises, according to the county books,
3060 plantation acres, chiefly under tillage. The system
of agriculture is improving; there is no waste land,
but in several parts are tracts of bog, which are being
rapidly reclaimed and brought into cultivation. Limestone
is quarried for agricultural uses and for building,
and there are several quarries of slate. Iron ore has
been found in the picturesque glen of Cleedagh, which is
watered by a small river and commands some fine views
of the sea. The principal seats are Greenwood Park,
the residence of Capt. J. Knox; Woodville, in the same
demesne; Rappa Castle, of Annesley Gore Knox, Esq.;
Fahy, of E. A. Knox, Esq.; Farmhill, of Major Gardiner;
Mount Glynne, of J. Fausset, Esq.; Killina, of Duke
Ormsby, Esq.; Ballintubber, of S. Handy, Esq.; and
Smithstown, of A. Pugh, Esq. Rappa Castle is a
place of very great antiquity; the grounds are profusely
embellished with fine old timber, and the land
is of the first quality. At Brideswell is a large fair
for horses on Feb. 1st; fairs are held at Tonrahowen
on St. Stephen's, St. Patrick's, and Corpus Christi
days; and at Fortfield, a small village, which has obtained
the grant of a market not yet opened, on Jan.
1st, June 15th, Aug. 16th, Sept. 8th, Oct. 29th, and
Dec. 1st. A constabulary police force is stationed here.
The parish is in the diocese of Killala; the rectory is
partly appropriate to the vicars choral of the cathedral
of Christchurch, Dublin, and partly to the precentorship
of the cathedral of St. Patrick, Killala; and the
vicarage forms part of the union of Crossmolina. The
tithes amount to £280, of which £28 is payable to the
vicars choral of Christchurch, £112 to the precentor of
Killala, and £140 to the vicar. In the R. C. divisions
it is partly in the union or district of Ardagh, and partly
the head of a union, comprising also the parish of Rathrea;
the chapel is a small thatched building. About
120 children are taught in a public school, and there is
a private school of about 35 children. In Ballynglen,
about two miles from the sea, are the remains of a castle
of that name; in this glen are found various incrustations
of marl. There are also the ruins of a castle at
Rathroe; and in various parts of the parish are raths,
in some of which are several apartments. There are
remains of cromlechs and numerous cairns, in some of
which are wells of water, and several human skeletons of
extraordinary size have been discovered. Silver coins of
the reign of Anne, and others of which the dates could
not be ascertained, have also been found.